1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data managing device equipped with various authentication functions, such as user authentication and environment authentication.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, due to the introduction of internet protocol version 6 (IPv6), not only a personal computer, a server computer, and a cellular phone, but also household electrical appliance (such as a refrigerator, a microwave, an air conditioner, a television (TV), and a digital versatile disc (DVD) drive), a copy machine, and a robot, etc. have been connected to a network such as the Internet to perform data communication. However, an increased number of data processing apparatuses connected to a network leads to weaker security.
As a result of its poor security, the household electrical appliance is likely to receive a program preventing its normal operation from an external source, or to be abused for a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. For the enhancement of security, a data processing apparatus with a function of biometric authentication using a fingerprint has been suggested (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H3-58174).
Before performing an electronic commerce using such a data processing apparatus, it is preferable to ensure the security by checking whether a user of the apparatus is a proper owner, whether the apparatus that performs the electronic commerce is an apparatus of the proper owner, and whether the apparatus is connected with other apparatuses or installed with software (such as an operating system (OS), a browser, plug-in software, etc.) that degrade the security of the apparatus.
Furthermore, biometrics using biological data, user authentication (public key infrastructure (PKI) authentication) using an electronic certificate issued by a certificate authority, and environment authentication for the secrecy of data on the data processing apparatus have been suggested. A recording medium driver that can take various security measures without increasing manufacturing cost has also been suggested (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. H10-283190).
However, according to the conventional technology described above, it is difficult to achieve high security solely with the biometrics authentication because fingerprint data for the authentication might be leaked.
Furthermore, when a software patch, a firmware patch, etc. is provided for those data processing apparatuses, it is necessary to ensure sufficient security between an apparatus of a provider and the data processing apparatuses so that the software is not falsified by a third party during the transmission of the software. However, a too-high security level can prevent smooth data communication.
When a single data processing apparatus individually performs various authentication such as biometrics, user authentication, environment authentication, etc., mutual authentication is required when data is exchanged among those authentication. Therefore, besides each authentication function, another authentication function is required to exchange data among those authentication functions, thereby increasing cost of manufacturing and time for authentication.
Furthermore, the frequency, the amount, and the method of updating a program (such as firmware) or data are different for each authentication because the biometrics, the user authentication, and the environment authentication are authentication functions used for different purposes.
As a result, when those authentication functions are mounted on a single chip, it is usually necessary to update (remake in many cases) the entire chip every time the program or the data is updated, which is actually impractical from the standpoint of cost. If the chip is remade every time the program or the data is updated, it is inconvenient for a user because the user cannot use the apparatus while the program or the data is being updated.
Furthermore, each authentication function should be timely updated to achieve its original purpose of authentication. Therefore, it is meaningless to perform authentication with an authentication function which is not updated until other authentication function is updated (in other words, which is updated at the same time of the update of other authentication function).